the voice of opera in Canada

Cheryl Hickman - Chair

Cheryl Hickman - Chair

Top prize winner in the George London Competition in New York, Cheryl Hickman debuted with Florida Grand Opera as Desdemona OTELLO, performed the role of Mary in New York City Opera's THE BALLAD OF BABY DOE and starred in Saint-Saëns' LA PRINCESSE JAUNE for l'Opéra Français de New York conducted by Yves Abel. She was heard with the Canadian Opera Company as the Female Chorus in Britten's THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA, the Mother and the Witch HÄNSEL UND GRETEL and covered the role of Senta in Wagner's DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER. Other roles include Helena A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM which she performed at the Aspen Festival, Kathleen in Vaughan Williams' RIDERS TO THE SEA and Susan B. Anthony THE MOTHER OF US ALL with New York City Opera. Other highlights include Berta IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA and Madame Lidoine DIALOGUES DES CARMÉLITES for Calgary Opera and her engagement as the cover artist for Wagner's WESENDONCK LIEDER and The Immolation Scene from GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG with the Vancouver Symphony. She appeared in the Canadian premiere of DEAD MAN WALKING for Calgary Opera and sang Berg's SIEBEN FRÜHE LIEDER for Orchestra Toronto and Beethoven Choral Fantasia and Symphony No.9 for Symphony Nova Scotia. In 2006-2007 she returned to Calgary for Clorinda LA CENERENTOLA. Dates with the Newfoundland Symphony include Dvorak Te Deum and an all Wagner program including the Immolation Scene from Wagner's GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG.

Featured in SUOR ANGELICA and GIANNI SCHICCHI at New York City Opera, Ms. Hickman's roles at City Opera include Erste Dame DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Fortuna IL RITORNO D'ULISSE IN PATRIA and Eve in Drattell's LILITH. In Alberta, Calgary Opera audiences heard her as Gertrude/die Hexe HÄNSEL UND GRETEL and she debuted as the Countess LE NOZZE DI FIGARO for Pacific Opera Victoria. Ms. Hickman appeared in performances of Bernstein ‘Kaddish' Symphony with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. She debuted with Manitoba Opera as Donna Anna DON GIOVANNI and sang Micaëla CARMEN for Pacific Opera Victoria and Marianne DER ROSENKAVALIER for Vancouver Opera. She appeared with Maritime Opera Theatre where she sang the title role in Puccini's TOSCA.

Ms. Hickman received her Master of Music degree in voice from the prestigious Juilliard School of Music and was also a member of the Juilliard Opera Center where she was featured in DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, MONSIEUR CHOUFLEURI, A HAND OF BRIDGE, IL CAPELLO DI PAGLIA DI FIRENZE and LIASONS. The St. John's, Newfoundland native holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Toronto and also received a Diploma from the Opera Division. An alumna of the Canadian Opera Ensemble studio, she has attended the Aldeburgh Festival, the International Institute of Vocal Arts in Italy, the Aspen Festival and the Centre Internationale de Formation Musicale with scholarships and awards from the Toronto Symphony, the Women's Musical Club and the McCormick Tribune Foundation. She was a finalist in the Metropolitan Opera's National Council Auditions, recipient of the Sullivan Foundation Award, the Juilliard Gluck Fellowship and was a finalist in the Houston Grand Opera's Eleanor McCollum competition.

Ms. Hickman has been heard in recital at Alice Tully Hall in New York, in Toronto at the Glenn Gould Studio, Hart House and Walter Hall, and her recitals with Kristina Sutor and Leslee Heys have been heard on the Music Craft program of the CBC. She has been a guest artist with the Newfoundland Symphony and was heard in her home province in the Hibernia Gala and as the soprano soloist in Handel Messiah. In February 2012 she returns to the NSO to perform Strauss Four Last Songs.

Ms. Hickman is also one of the founding members, and is General and Artistic Director of Opera on the Avalon, located in St. John's Newfoundland. Her recordings include Michael Parker's Lyre, and her own best selling recording of traditional Newfoundland Folk music entitled "On This Island".